Device for evacuating vacuum tubes



July 14, 1931.

G. T. THURNEYSSEN DEVICE FOR EVACUATING VACUUM TUBES Filed April 5, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet l -'--l e' I il ll g 27 27 7 l 7 INVENTOR GUY T.THURNEYSSEN TORNEY July 14, l93 1. G. T. THURNEYSSEN I DEVICE FR EVACUATING VACUUM TUBES 2 sneets-shet 2 Filed April 5, 1926 INVENTOR' GUY T. THURNEYSSEN ATTORNEY Patented July 14, 1931 UNITED STATES GUY 'rnnonom mssn', or rAas, FRANCE v DEVIGE FOB,EVACUATING VACUUM TUBES Application filed April 5, 1926, Serial No. 99,791, and in France August 11, 1925.

The invention relates to the evacuation of vacuum tubes or similar devices in which very high vacua must be established in a receptacle or bulb containing electrodes and 6 has for its prncipal object to improve and simplify the conrections between the vacuum pumps and the receptacle being evacuated.

A further object of the invention is to provide for maintaining a receptacle being evacuated in constant and direct connection with a vacuum pump during a succession of Operations.

Still another object of the invention is to provide 'for connectng a receptacle being evacuated to a vacuum pump by means permitting the rcceptacle to remain stationary with respect to thepump during the evacuating process andmoving a plurality of'elements with relation to thereceptacle for performing successive Operations on it.

In the evacuation and mounting of vacuum tubes and similar articles it is customary atpresent to mount the tube to be evacuated on a movable member and arrange a plurality of operative elements in proximity to the path of the movable member s'o that as the member moves the tube will be successively 4 brought into operative' relation with the eleheated gases therefrom and is finally sealed.

The tube itself is usually moved while the Operating members, namel the oven, the

coil for supplying the hig frequency field and the scaling device, are held stationary. It is, therefore, essential to provide movable or rotatable connections between the vacuum pumps and the tubes so that the tubes maybe subjected to the action of the pumps during the entire cycle of Operations. Such joints or connections present many mechanical difficulties and usually result in serious leakages, interfering with the formation of the very high vacuum desired.

According to the present invention it is proposed to'maintain the tubes stationary with respect to the pumps and move the oven, high frequency coil, sealing device and any other apparatus which may enter into the. cycle of Operations with respect to the tubes. This permits a direct permanent connection between the pumps and the tubes during the entire cycle of Operations and makes the use of cocks or joints unnecessary with the consequent elimination of all chances of leakage incidental thereto.

The invention will be more clearly understood from the accompanying drawings in which the same parts 'are designated by the same reference numerals throughout the several views and in which Fig. 1 illustrates-diagrammatically a machine conforming to the invention, all parts not necessary to an Understanding of the invention being omitted for the sake of clearness.

Fig. 2 shows a detail-illustrating the connection of a vacuum tube being evacuated to thevacuum Conduit.

Fig. 3 is an isometric view of the 'cutter and sealing device. Fig. 4 is a detailed view illustrating the drive of one of the rotating elements and' Fig. 5 is a 'schematic diagram illustrating the succession of the several Operations performed on a tube by the machine.

Fig. 6 shows a' detail of the device.

Referring to Fig. 1, a cast metal plate for supporting the vacuum tubes is shown at 1, supported. by suitable legs 2, resting on a. concrete foundation 3. The foundation 3 also supports the vacuum pumps 6 and 'an inclined plane 5 is provided for each pump so that it may readily be removed froni the base if desired. These' incli'ne planes are or'dinarily provided with tracks for the carriages of the pumps 6 to facilitate their removal. The plurality of concrete supports 7 are formed integrally with the base 3 and arranged in circular formation to support a circular track 8 on which runs the carriage 9 for moving the operator in charge of the machine around the work as necessary. It will be noted that the supports 7 are spaced apart and are of sufiicient height to permit the ready removal of the pumps 6 in case replacement becomes necessary. 'A shaft 41 extends through the stationary plate 1 and is driven by the motor 37 through suitable driving mechanism, such as gearing, etc., shown diagrammatically at 11. Ths shaft turns freely in the plate 1 and has rigidly attached to it just above the plate, a member'40 which supports the oven 12. A ball bearing or other suitable type of hearing is provided between the plates 1 and 40 to permit ready rotation of the latter with the shaft 41. The oven is supported on the plate 40 by brackets 15 and has rollers 19 attached thereto for running on a suitable track on the plate 1. This provides a steady support for the oven and allows it to rotate freely in response to the rotation of the shaft 41. The oven may be heated by suitable gas jets, not shown, and is provided with a pyrometer 20 which is so' placed as to be always within sight of the operator.

The shaft 41 also carries the coil 13 for supplying the high frequenc .field to heat the metal electrodes of the tu e to drive out the occluded gases and a cutting and sealing device 14. The cutter is shown in detail in Fig. 3 and consists of a conduit 42 having an annular pipe 21 connected to its end. This annular pipe has -a plurality of jets or blow pipes 22 communicating with its interior and on its upper side carries a plurality 'of brackets 23 for suitably supporting the vacuum tube. A spring 24, preferably of molybdenum, yieldingly engages the tube and forces it upward after it has been disconnected from its tubulature to prevent the jets or blow pipes from injuring the tip. 'The air and gas for blow pipes or jets 22 areconducted through pipe lines25 at the upper part of the machine, then throu h a tight rotary joint at the upper end o shaft 41, which is provided with a central bore as far as device 14, and finally through the cutting and sealing device 14 to jets 22.

The shaft 41, the oven 12 and the carriage 9 are all rotated intermittentl to c'onform to the Operations on the tube. T rough suitable gearing and the fleXible shaft 33 (Figure 4) the 0perat ors carriage 9 is rotated to conform to the-intermittent motion of the oven and shaft. This intermittent motion is controlled by the mechanism shown diagrammatically at 10, and may comprise any suitable means, such as cams, for periodically engaging and disengaging the shaft and carriage driving gears from the motor.

.The method of mounting the tubes and connecting to the vacuum pun'ps is shown in Fig. 2. The conduit 27 which may be of glass or other suitable material is connected to a vacuum pump 6. Ordinarily each con duit is provided at the top with two branches for supporting two tubes. In Fig. 2 it may be considered that the conduit 27 has a suitable branch for supporting and evacuating another tube located behind the one shown. The Conduit 27 is connected to a suitable testing device 18 consisting of two electrodes in an evacuated transparent tube. For 'testing purposes, a voltage of about 15,000 volts will be applied to the electrodes. 'The conduit 27 is provided at its upper end with a rubber tube 29 supporting a glass tube 30 to which the tubulature or stern of the vacuum tube 28 may be welded. By pinching the `rubber tube 29 the vacuum may be cut oli' from the tube 30 and a device shown diagrammatically at 30@ is provided to cut off the vacuum after the tube has been cut loose from its tubulature and to open the vacuum Conduit after a new tube has been welded on to the stern 30. A plurality of contacts' are provided at 17 arranged concentrically on the plate 1 having coacting brushes 16 carried by the plate 40. A pair of contacts b of 17 is connected to each testing device 18, so that there will be as many pairs of such contacts b as there are tubes to be evacuated in one complete revolution of platform 40 and its associated apparatus. The other pair of contacts a of 17, cooperates with its.

thesecontacts and brushes to energize the coil 13 at the proper moment and to apply the testing potential to the device 18 at the proper moment.

A hood 26 is provided below the platform 1 for protection of the glass parts of conduits 27 and this hood insures relative darkness to facilitate observation. of the testing devices 18.

The operation of the machine may be best understood from the diagrammatic showing in Fig. 5 in which 18 vacuum tubes designated by the letters A to Rare indicated as mounted on the plate l shown in Fig. 1. A hand lever 32 is provided for closing the vacuum conduit through the rubber tube 29 in case of an imperfect tube and this, together with the such as 13 and 14 attached to shaft 41, and

the oven 12 rotate in'the direction indicated by the arrow 38 in Figure 5, the speed of rotation being governed by the time required to 'cause reaction in the interior of the tubes.

plied and the time when all occluded gases have been driven off. The carriage 9 is driven by the mechanism 10 by means of a flexible shaft 33, shown in Fig. 4 through reducing gearing 34 which meshes with an internal gear 32 mounted on the carriage. The gear train assembly 34 is supported by member 36, and a spring-35 is provided to com-' pensate for excessive play in the gear train. As the operator arrives opposite each tube 'he observes the test device 18 connected with" that tube and if there is no glow in the test device showing a perfect tube he does nothing. If the test device 'glows, showing a leakage in the tube, hecloses the vacuum conduit by means of the handle 32, disconnects the faulty tube from the conduit 30 and welds a new one thereto. It will be noted that in the mean while a high frequency field has been applied to another tube by the coil 13 to drive out the gases* occluded in the electrodes and stillanother tube has been cut by i its tubulature by the device 14 whilethe cams 30 and 31 are operative to close and 'open` welded to the stem 30. Thenew tube is Welded to the stem in position A, just after the cam 30 has closed the vacuum Conduit. In the position B, the cam 31 opens the vacuum Conduit and in the position C the tube starts through the oven. After passing through the oven it is tested at position O- atecl by cam 31 disposed in a horizontal plane parallel to the plane of cam 30. Finger n, pushed by cam 31, releases the pawl m, and the elastic wall of the conduit 29 returns the -pusher element 30a to its original position.

The cams 30, 31, and 32 are rigdly connected with the movable plate 40 which supports the oven and the brush-holders, and they may be mounted on the plate 40 in any desirable manner.

The coil 13 may move vertically and covers the tube at the desired moment. This move- When the rotating ment is controlled by the device 10. The axis of the solenoid 13 coincides with the axis of the tubes, but if the oven covers the tubes, the solenoid 13 is raised in suchmanner that it does .not interfere with the movement of the oven. The same is true with regard to the' device 14. The solenoid 13 and the cutting mechanism 14 are fixed rigdly to the revolving shaft 41 driving the platform 40. The grips 23 on the cutting device 14 support the tube, and they may be adjusted to suit the size of thetube. I

During the rotation of the apparatus, the upper brushes 16, by the'agency of elastic brushes, are in permanent contact with the terminals 17 disposed on the rim of the fixed platform l, two of the said terminals 17 supplying high frequency current to the solenoid 13. The plate 15 upon which the oven' 12 rests has a circular slit through which the tubes extendinto the oven. I\

While I have illustrated my invention as appled to a specific machine it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that many other machines can readily be deVised for carrying it out. I intend to be limited, therefore, only as indicated' by the scope of the following claims: v i

Having described my invention I claim:

1. A device for evacuating containers and performing a succession of Operations thereon comprising a vacuum pump, means for supporting a container in fixed relationship to the pump and means for connecting the container to the pump, alplurality of elements for performing a succession of operations on the container mounted on a common movable member, and means for moving said member intermittently and applying each element to the container in succession.

2. A device for evacuating containers and performing a succession of Operations thereon conprising a stationary support for a plurality of containers, said containers being arranged in circular formation, vacuum pumps stationary With respect to said support and means for connecting the containers with said pumps, a rotatable member carrying a plurality'of elements for performing a succession of Operations on each container, and means for rotating said member intermittently and applying each element to each container in succession.

3. A device for-evacuating containers and performing a succession of Operations thereon comprising a stationary support for a plurality of containers, said containers'being arranged in circular formation, stationary vacuum pumps and means for connecting the containers to the pumps, a rotatable member carrying a plurality of elements also arranged in cir'cular formation and conforming to thearrangement of the containers, said elements being adapted to perform a succession of Operations on said containers, means for rotating said member intermittently and applying each element to each container in succession, a' movable carriage and means for moving said carriage with said member.

4. A device for evacuating Vacuum tubes comprsing a stationary support for said tubes, stationary vacuum pumps and means connecting. the pumps to the tubes, a plurality of devices for heating said tubes during the evacuation process,'and means for m'ovin said heating devices with respect to the tu es and applying each heating device to each tube in succession. v

5. A device for evacuatng Vacuum tubes comprising a stationary support for said tubes, stationary -Vacuum pumps'and means for connecting the pumps to the tubes, a plurality of devices for heating the tubes during the evacuaton process and means for moving said heating devices intermittently with respect to the` tubes and applying each heating device to each tube in succession, a movable carriage, and means for movng said carrage with said heating devices.

6. A device for evacuating Vacuum tubes comprisin' a stationary member, supports on said member for supporting vacuum tubes, stationarz vacuum pumps and means for conneoting the pumps to said supports,^a movable member', an oven, a high frequency heating coil and a sealing device on said movable member and means for moving said member interxittently to apply said oven, and coil and/said sealing device to each of said tubes il /succession.

7. A device for evacuating vacuum tubes comprising a stationary member, supports on said member for supporting Vacuum tubes, stationary Vacuum pumps and means for con- .necting the pumps to said supports, a movable member, an oven, a high frequency heating coil and a sealing device on said movable member, means for moving said member intermittently to apply said oven and coil and said scaling dev'ce to each of said tubes in succession, a movable carriage and means for moving said carriage with said movable' member.

8. A device for evacuating vacuum tubes comprising a stationary member, a plurality of supports for vacuum tubes on said m'ember arranged in circular formation, stationary vacuum pumps and means for connecting said pumps to said supports, a rotatable member, an oven, a high frequency heating coil and a sealing device on said rotatable member arranged to conform to the formati'on of said supports, and means for intermittently rotating said rotatable member and applying said oven, heating coil and sealing device to each 4 tube n succession. V,

9. In an apparatus for exhausting vacuum tubes, the combination of a stationary platform arranged to support a plurality of tubes to be exhausted, stationary exhaustng means .ing each of said tubes.

10. In an apparatus for exhausting vacuum tubes, the combinaton of a stationary platform arranged to support a plurality of tubes to be exhausted, stationary exhausting i* means assocated therewith, means assoi ciated with each tube for determining the proper degree of Vacuum, and means for progressively cutting off and scaling each of said tubes. I

11. In an apparatus for exhausting vacuum tubes, the oombination of a stationary platform arranged to support a plurality of tubes to be exhausted, stationary exhausting means associated therewith, means for progressively applying a high frequency electromagnetic field to each tube, means for progressively cutting ofi and sealing each'of said tubes, and means for disconnecting the exhausting means from each tube after complete evacuation of said tube.

12. In an apparatus for exhausting vaouum tubes, the combination of astationary platform arranged to support a plurality of tubes to be exhausted, stationary exhausting means associated therewith, a plurality of elements cooperating With said tubes, and means for progressively moving said elements to simultaneously perform different Operations on successive tubes, including.

heating a number -of said tubes, subjecting tromagnetie field, and progressvely cutting off and sealing each tube.

13. A device for evacuating containers and performing a succession of Operations thereon comprising a vacuum pump, means for supporting a container in fixed relationship with said pump, means for connecting said container to said pump, a plurality of elements for performing a succession of operations on the container, means for movng the elements relative to the container, a movable carriage, and means for movng said carriage With said elements to permit the operator on t the carriage to be present at the desired step in the process of evacuating the container. 

